Blood Alone Remains
by sunshineditty
Summary: Sookie Stackhouse was tricked into helping Bill Compton overthrow Queen Sophie-Ann LeClerq and now five years later, she's still imprisoned by the crowned king of Louisiana with no hope of escape until she is sent to entice the vampire known as The Northman into selling his services to Bill. Can she trust this mysterious vampire to help her return to the life she was stolen from?
1. Chapter 1

The wet filthy sounds of sucking was loud in the the otherwise quiet room. Her skirt was raised above her waist and her panties shoved somewhere down by her ankles as the king lay between her outspread thighs, his fangs dug into her femoral artery. The light gleamed off slick skin, not all of it blood, and Sookie silently heaved an impatient sigh as the minutes ticked by, a feeling of relief filling her as she watched Bill feast on his latest conquest, fangs snicked back and tongue now in play. It meant this portion of her night - or day if you went by vampire standards - was nearly at an end. She hated when she was required to stay at his bedside - his paranoia was getting out of hand if he commanded she stay by him even now. She rolled her eyes, though she was careful to keep her face from his line of sight.

"Are you bored, Sookie dear?"

The purring quality of his tone attest to his satiation, but it did nothing to disguise the irritation threading the words. Sookie bit back a snarky reply mostly because she knew better than to misbehave in front of a witness - even a fangbanger like tonight's meal.

Bill was King.

"'Course not, Your Majesty. I was admirin' her manicure."

She could see the sparkly shine of the girl's nails from where her hands were clenched on the headboard of the large bed. Not really a lie. It was nicely done regardless of the person it adorned.

"Join us." It wasn't quite a request and not quite a demand. There was a delicate balance between them and he trod it well most days. She deliberately didn't think upon the times when his desires overcame his will and she had no choice.

"I'm thinkin' no-" Stars no! " - but thank you for the offer."

The blood dripped from the ends of Bill's fangs when he lifted his head high enough to stare at her. Once upon a time, she'd curled her tongue around his teeth sucking her own blood from them, and felt as high as a kite on love. Now she looked at him dispassionately, ignoring the whimpering girl with true indifference. Jealousy, like her love, had faded when the blood haze had lifted and she could see truly see her Prince Charming for what he was: an opportunistic jackass who weaseled his way into her bed, her veins, and eventually onto a throne.

"It wasn't an offer."

A dangerous tone now. Sookie quelled the urge to shift at the hardening of his features at her gingerly couched refusal. She instinctively wrapped the silvery haze around her mind and carefully pushed forward until she touched the blankness she knew was Bill. If he blurred to her, she would protect herself against him as she had secretly practiced. Sookie didn't know if it would work, but it was surely better than being the subject of his ire.

Her quiet, "And I'd still decline," disguised her battle readiness. Bill allowed some sass from her despite his very thorough education on exactly how much - or rather how little - autonomy she could expect from him.

Bill cocked his head and studied her, nostrils flared a little as he sought to scent her. If Sookie didn't know better, she'd think him a were as it was a common expression among the shifters she'd met. A small smile turned his thin lips upward even as his eyes were watchful; she relaxed internally as she realized he decided upon indulging her. His whimsical nature discomfitted her as she could rarely predict his moods in their private moments together.

"Sookie, you are still a delight to me even now." He languidly stretched and slipped from the bed and she didn't turn her eyes from his nudity. The Southern Gentleman he'd always proclaimed himself to be would never have inflicted such indignities upon her, but then his humanity was a long time behind him. He chuckled as if he read her mind and then flicked a hand towards the girl as he padded to the adjoining bathroom.

"Do something about that."

Sookie nodded and turned to the discreetly placed buzzer on the wall next to the bed. Every room Bill claimed as his had them installed as it was the fastest way to call for help in the event of incapacitation. Despite her years at Bill's side, she didn't always understand the vampire court and the relationship he had to his courtiers so she had no clue as to why he didn't just summon them mentally. She knew it could be done that way as the disposed Sophie-Ann had such an ability, but she would never dare ask.

"Yes, Consort?"

Josue bowed respectfully and Sookie shook herself from her contemplations. She snapped her fingers and the court steward righted himself, though his head remained inclined. Sookie knew from experience he would patiently stay in place until he could carry out whatever duties she commanded of him, and sometimes she wanted to draw out the time he spent at her side just to see if his position would change. She never did, but the harmless mental wondering amused her.

"King William requires this young lady to be escorted from the premises and...helped...home."

Bill hadn't requested anything of the sort, of course, but Sookie was just glad this one would leave under her own power. Sometimes, and more often than not lately due to the uprisings, the girls would be hefted in body bags and taken out for covert burials so not to arouse the suspicions of the human police who lived near the court.

"Do you require my services, Consort?"

The subtle emphasis didn't go unnoticed. Josue was weirdly attentive to her in a way she noticed he wasn't for Bill whenever the king summoned him. It was another strangeness of vampiric behaviors she added to the mental list she kept. Some day she hoped to find someone to explain the unknowable because it drove her quite mad at times to not fully understand her surroundings.

"Josh -" she contained the chuckle that threatened at his slight wince of the Anglicization of his name - "I'm fine. Just help her."

Penetrating hazel eyes peered at her for a second as he determined if she told the truth. Sookie refused to blanch as memories of the last time she'd needed his help threatened her equilibrium. Instead she allowed her amusement to show on her face, the grin as natural as Bill's was false. Josue seemed relieved and his gaze diverted to just above her shoulders again.

"As you wish."

Sookie winked. "Have you been watchin' human movies again?"

Black brows twitched in a haughty manner and she hid a giggle behind her hand. For all that Josue looked like a young twenty-something, she'd learned he was past his first century and didn't approve of newfangled technology that polluted the world. He preferred to spend his time reading books and refused to acknowledge anything newer than vehicles, which had gone into production soon after his Making. He was her chauffeur on the rare times she was allowed to leave Court.

Taking pity on him, Sookie turned towards the now unconscious fangbanger and attempted to right her dignity by drawing her silky underthings back up her legs and pulling down the microscopic skirt from her waist. She proficiently determined girl wouldn't need stitches and was thankful Bill hadn't torn her skin as he'd done to others - at most she would need one of Dr. Ludwig's tonics and some iron pills for a few days. Sookie quietly spoke her conclusions aloud, confident Josue would follow her instructions to the letter.

Long red hair trailed over Josue's suited arms as he picked the limp girl up and Sookie shut her eyes for a moment against the image. She's alive! Sookie sternly reminded herself and waved Josue away, listening for the quiet shush of his departure. Sensing Bill returning to the suite, Sookie debated the wisdom of leaving without his dispensation. Her skin prickled at his closeness and she knew she'd run out of time.

"Was there anythin' else you needed, Sir?"

Strong hands clamped down on her shoulders from behind and Sookie automatically tilted her head sideways so her throat was on display. She could feel her pulse beating beneath the fragile skin and she closed her eyes again as she awaited her king's pleasure.

"One day I will stake Josue's heart and place his head on stick to put beside my throne," Bill murmured, his fangs lightly tracing her superficial cervical artery. Naming the artery calmed her beating heart and she didn't stiffen. Bill was older and stronger than Josue, so she didn't doubt he could follow through with his threat, but this wasn't the first time he'd used this particular one against her. He was jealous of the dark-haired vampire for reasons Sookie didn't understand. Josue never made a move or even intimated he held any desire for her - vampires weren't subtle in their appreciation for Sookie - so it bewildered her why Bill chuckled at guests and growled at his own Steward.

"He's loyal to the court and carries out his duties admirably."

Admirably was her word of the day and Sookie was glad to find a way to fit it into conversation, even in this tense situation. The slide of fangs through her skin was painful and Bill's hands held her in place as he punished her for her impertinence. He could make it pleasurable for her, yet he hadn't, not since she fully understood her place in his retinue. Consort in name, slave in truth.

His fangs withdrew and ripped through the already furrowed flesh surrounding the holes in her neck. Sookie's hand automatically raised to put pressure on the bleeding so it wouldn't drip over her white blouse. She waited for him to step away before opening the drawer of the nightstand beside the bed so she could take out a handkerchief conveniently placed there. She knew Josue kept them stocked for her, but she would never betray the nicety to Bill and knew the king thought she put them there for these times. It saddened her a little, and made the hard kernel of banked rage glow sullenly in her breast, that he would expect her to need pseudo-bandages at any given moment. Too bad she couldn't write the "and then" to explain what happened in the aftermath of "happily ever after." It probably wouldn't sell as many romances or fairy tales to dreamy girls, but it would be a dose of the truth they deserved.

"Do not tempt me so, Sookie," he smugly cautioned. "I have need of your services in Court, not in the bedroom."

Sookie was glad her back was to him because she couldn't mask the fury etched across her face. She hated how he made little digs at her and made it sound like she was some sort of streetwalker instead of a manipulated woman who didn't understand her fate until it was too late. She breathed slowly through her nose as she fought to wrestle her temper under control; in the early days she would've fired back, but the years had taught her how to restrain herself to avoid further problems. Her mind trick wasn't tested and she couldn't rely on anyone in the court to protect her if Bill retaliated. Josue's face flashed through her mind and she thrust the temptation away; he was the Steward of Louisiana first, her friend second.

"Don't keep me hangin', Your Majesty. What do you wish of me?"

"Face me when you speak to your king and stop your incessant mumbling. You know how I hate when you do that. Speak like the lady you wish you were."

Hurt struck and Sookie battled against tears as well as anger. She white-knuckled the bandage at her throat until she was able to turn with a facade of calmness, all traces of the toxic brew of emotions shoved well below the surface. Sookie was never so glad Bill couldn't read her mind as now. He often vacillated between needling her with poisonous darts and honeyed lies designed to tempt her into his bed, as if she were still the virginal idiot he found in Merlot's Bar.

Sookie managed to dredge up a smile from deep within, even as her life's blood sullenly wet her slightly trembling fingers.

"I apologize, Your Majesty. What do you wish of me?"

Bill, now dressed in his customary black suit with the subtly blue-striped tie, sat in one of the overstuffed chairs situated in front of the empty fireplace across from where Sookie stood. He hadn't wiped his mouth and he smiled at her with red stained lips. Sookie fought the upheaval of her stomach with rigid discipline. It wasn't the first, nor would it be the last, for him to test her this way. She would limit his victories as best she could.

"I need you to work as Emissary of the court. Radcliffe is...indisposed...right now so you are the only other I trust to do my bidding."

Hope rose and she fought to keep from showing it. She hadn't left New Orleans in nearly a year and she ached to explore other places. In spite of her humble beginnings, Sookie yearned for new experiences with the same thirst for adventures that propelled great explorers of history, and it seemed as if Bill was answering her heart's desire. Caution reared its head as soon as the thought crossed her mind: Bill rarely did anything to please her. She was useful to him because she was able to further his ambitions. Bitterness was a sour taste in her mouth as she remembered her first trip to Louisiana and the stripping of her naiviety.

"Your will is mine own," the well-practiced words tripping from her mouth without volition.

"Of course it is, my Sookie. You are aware of the uprisings in Shreveport and how I need a strong presence there to maintain the peace."

Sookie nodded. Bill's rule since he'd taken the throne in a bloody coup from the former Queen hadn't been peaceful. While many had delighted in the overthrowing of Sophie-Ann, that didn't necessarily mean they accepted Bill in her place. Bill was Louisiana-Arkansas, which meant he was needed in all parts of his Kingdom; the vampires knew this and ran rampant the moment his back was turned. Bill had come down harshly on all those he could capture or quell through threats, but Shreveport was the original site of the Louisiana Court and the vampires living there were among the oldest in the state. Bill needed an enforcer, which he lacked since he'd beheaded Andre the minute before he did the same to the Queen.

"Unfortunately Radcliffe failed at the task I set for him and returned missing a few body parts as he angered those I courted. You, on the other hand, have the wit to understand when to speak and when to talk."

It wasn't a compliment so much as an observation. Sookie hadn't always held her tongue and had scars to prove the stupidity of such decisions. A thrill went through her as she realized the situation unfolding before her - Bill couldn't draw from a loyal nest nor did he bring anyone other than Sookie with him when he first returned to Court. Even Josue came with the crown as Stewards, like Emissaries, were inherited responsibilities. Sookie wasn't too clear on how exactly they were entailed, as the information was already known by those who attended and no one would think to instruct someone who was a mere Pet. Only Josue treated her with a modicum of respect, but she wouldn't ask him questions that might get him in trouble with Bill.

"Who are you tryin' to get?"

"Eric the Vikingr."

The distaste curling Bill's lips could be heard in his tone and Sookie caught herself before she raised her brows in intrigued surprise. She'd never heard such disdain in his voice before as he always tried to look like a benevolent king rather than a greedy and grasping vampire who snatched a throne through trickery and guile rather than the might of his fangs.

"What's he like?"

"Strong. Independent. Old." The breathy emphasis of the last word underscored the importance of the other vampire's age. The few times she was allowed in Court, she'd observed the intricacies of hierarchies among the vampires who danced attendance on Bill. Bill wasn't the oldest vampire, not by far, but he was definitely stronger than the sycophants that plagued the court. The Louisiana King was thirty when he fought against Northern Aggression and frozen at that age when he was Made - which made him nearly two hundred years old now. It boggled the mind that he was considered relatively youthful.

"Why would he bend his head to you?"

A small growl announced Sookie's misstep, but she was too curious to heed the warning. Age didn't necessarily equal strength, though the older ones tended to be wily and dangerous, so how would he entice a vampire who sounded like he was out of his league?

"I have something he wants," came the smug response.

"What do you need me to do?" Anticipation started to build as Sookie realized this trip might actually come to fruition. She'd never worked as an emissary before, but surely if Radcliffe could do it, a vampire so dumb sometimes she wonders how he didn't walk into the sun by accident, she could too.

"My informants tell me Eric is enjoying the hospitality of Nevada. I will send you to him with a sealed letter and you will avail yourself for his every comfort."

"Every...comfort?"

Dark brown eyes captured hers and pressed Bill's will upon her. She wasn't susceptible to his Glamour like most humans, but Sookie knew the extent he would go for her unwilling consent.

"Whatever he needs, you will give him. I want him to be my sheriff of Area 5 and you will get him for me."

Sookie dumbly nodded. She didn't like Bill's jealousy and sought ways to avoid it, but she didn't realize how much she'd depended on it until now. Unlike other Pets she'd met, Sookie wasn't forced into group situations as Bill didn't share his possessions. Now, however, the implication was clear: if this Eric wanted sex or blood, she was to provide it for him, even if it meant personally.

"If I fail?'

"You won't fail."

The confident proclamation made cold sweat trickle down Sookie's back and she bit her tongue to prevent any further questions. The thinly veiled irritation made her wary of stepping any further across the drawn line in the sand, and she decided against pushing for tonight. She had every intention of seeking out information on the Viking vampire, if only to ensure she really wouldn't fail in her task.

"Excellent! I'm glad we came to this accord. I have drawn up your itinerary and switched the plane tickets into your name. You will leave on Thursday so it's best if you go pack now. Follow my list of instructions and soon enough you'll return to Louisiana."

The unconvincing heartiness in Bill's voice did nothing to convince her of her impending success, but Sookie was used to working under trying conditions. Besides, she got to go to Nevada on a plane! Heck, she'd only ever seen Louisiana from a car window, and now she was getting the opportunity to see the land while flying across. Excitement joined the trepidation and suddenly Sookie was glad of the trip in spite of the reasons behind it. She might end up in a body bag like plenty of girls before her, but at least she'd get a free plane ticket out of it.

* * *

 **A/N: This story was written for a month-long challenge which crossed The Sentinel with any fandom of my choice. I didn't get it done in the time limit, but I decided to continue it anyway because I liked what I started; just so you know, this is a fusion as Blair and Jim do not exist in this 'verse. Also, to help eliminate confusion, some of the characters and events are taken from the books as well as the show and mixed together.**


	2. Chapter 2

Sookie was rarely directly involved in the court, so the three days prior to leaving for Nevada were a whirlwind and left her feeling overstimulated. Josue took it upon himself to educate her in court etiquette so she wouldn't make a faux pas that could be detrimental to Bill's plans. Nevada knew why they were coming - he had to since the Northman was staying in his kingdom - but overtures between royalty came with many strings attached. Sookie, as both emissary and consort, could not take one step out of line, otherwise she could break traditional treaties, bring the wrath of the southwestern kingdoms upon her, and even incite war.

"War?" Disbelief was plain.

Josue nodded calmly. "You are the first human consort in the Americas and you are acting as King William's emissary. Alone it makes you unusual. Combined, you have a lot of political power once you step into Nevada's court." He saw the panic and protest flit across her pretty features. "You can do this."

"No, no, no I can't." Her breath came faster. "What was Bill thinking - " her words dropped and blue eyes snapped fire. "He expects me to fail this, doesn't he?" Sookie jumped up from her seat and started pacing across the salon floor. The large black and white tiling was dizzying if you stared at it too long, so she made sure to keep her gaze level with the paintings on the wall. When she was first brought before Sophia-Ann, she'd thought the murals were simple paintings of huntsmen on horseback after a fox - a little odd for a vampire court, she'd thought in that moment, but then they lived for a long time so they could be forgiven their oddities. It wasn't until later, when escape was impossible, that Sookie had finally saw the truth behind the seemingly bucolic scene - the huntsmen were vampires and the "fox" was a red-haired human being torn to shreds beneath the horses' hooves. Right now she completely understood the anguish on the painted face because she felt it too: trapped and facing sure death.

A cold hand wrapped around her bared elbow stopped her in mid-step.

"Consort, I will accompany you to the court and will not allow you to falter. This I promise to you." She was puzzled by the depth of the bow he gave to her as it wasn't one she'd seen him ever give before, even to her. Sookie laughed lightly, and tugged him upwards, uncomfortable with the respect he showed her. No one, not even in her old life, had ever seen her as anything special. She was freakish low-class Sookie Stackhouse who couldn't stand to be around humans so much she'd willingly climbed into bed with a vampire without heeding the warning signs.

"Josh, stand up -"

He pulled back from her touch with a slight frown. Sookie had heard a few courtiers complain about Josue's lack of expression before and it always confused her. He was an open book if you looked at him the right way and now she could tell he was upset with her, though she wasn't sure why. The Steward walked away, the clean lines of his suit neglecting to hide the tension in his back muscles. Sookie felt bad for whatever she'd said or done to put him in such a mood; he was her only friend, the only companion in a very lonely and often frightening place, so she frantically tried to think of the best apology so he wouldn't be made at her any longer.

"Consort, this is for you."

At first her eyes refused to focus on the large oblong box in his hand because she was so convinced she'd agitated him, Sookie couldn't see anything else. When his hand slightly shook the box to make the contents chime softly, Sookie finally grasped the idea she was supposed to take it from him. The lid flipped up with an audible snap and gleaming metal lay on a white silk background.

"What -?"

Josue gently lifted the delicate collar made of several twisting strands to make up one solid piece. The front came to three sharp points and was made of a silver-like metal; it couldn't be true silver if Josue was handling it. There didn't seem to be a clasp to open or close it, yet there must be as Josue urged her to bend her head to him. Sookie unhesitatingly bared her nape to him and moments later the cool weight settled around her neck. When she straightened, she could feel it covering the vulnerable pulse points in her throat. There were still two smaller bands lying in the box and Josue lifted one.

"This is for your wrists," he instructed, before turning it over and showing her the symbols etched into the largest side. "You will wear this at all times in Nevada; it would be the highest insult for any vampire to touch you without your permission when you wear these. This proves you are protected and any disrespect to you will bring unimaginable consequences down upon those who trespassed."

Sookie released her breath in a rush of shock. Bill, even during their wooing days, had never gifted her with anything as beautiful or practical. She didn't know how to respond, except to say, "It goes back to war again, huh?"

Josue cracked a slight smile, but took the box from her and patiently waited until both cuffs encircled her wrists. They fit snugly and didn't slide up or down as she half-expected since she had small wrists and they weren't made for her. They were protection against the depredation by any vampire, she realized a minute later, as the significance hit her. Neck and wrist were the two favored spots for vampires to feed from humans, Pets or otherwise, and the silver blocked both ways. There were other places to feed from, of course, but symbolically she was as protected as Fort Knox.

"I can't believe Bill would - but he - oh my stars." Sookie couldn't complete any thought as she tried to fit the kingly gifts with how Bill treated her normally. Had she looked up in that moment, she would've seen the utter contempt on Josue's face and realized Bill had nothing to do with it, but her eyes were trained on the beautiful silver jewelry so she missed his expression. When she finally looked up, Josue's face has resumed it's natural impassivity, and she chuckled.

"I'm as prepared as I'm ever gonna be."

"I will be at your side and willnt allow harm to befall you, Consort."

It always amused her when his French accent deepened, though she couldn't really explain why. The next time she came across Bill, she thought about expressing her thanks for the jewelry, but Bill's preoccupation with yet another riot in Shreveport stilled her tongue. She was due to leave in the morning and it made little sense rocking the boat before they left.

To avoid any potential security issues, Sookie and Josue used Anubus Airlines as they catered exclusively to vampires and their retinues. Josue was enclosed in the special coffin created for instances like this and Sookie was shown to a nicely appointed cabin with all the amenities a human could want. The plane ride wasn't as exciting as she'd expected as it was as smooth as a car ride, and she quickly grew tired of seeing clouds and endless blue outside the window. When the captain's deep baritone came overhead, telling her the time and temperature of the approaching city, Sookie stopped reading the magazine filled with people and celebrities she didn't know anyhow, and lifted her window shade.

The Las Vegas Strip was a gleaming triumph to humanity's overwhelming greed and stretched across the brown rolling desert like a gaudy rhinestone necklace around an ageing woman's neck. Sookie was intrigued by the rising hotels that glinted in the setting of the harsh summer sun, and hoped they'd get time to explore in between their duties to the court. The landing was soft and the loud noise made her wince as the parking brakes squealed in protest against the dominance of gravity and physics.

She was quickly shuffled off the plane and into the hanger with Josue's travel coffin; they were deep enough in the shadows to allow Josue to rise. Sookie waited fifteen extra minutes, though, to ensure no errant rays could pierce the gloom and propped it open before turning her back. Despite her years with vampires, it was still deeply unsettling to watch them go from being dead to undead and she preferred not seeing the process.

A black limousine idled outside and Sookie looked at Josue. "Is that for us?" The vampire nodded. "But I was hopin' we could take a cab -" she trailed off at the comical look of horror on his face. "I'm guessin' that's a no?"

"Consort, it would be the height of rudeness to reject Nevada's largesse." The pointed look had her straightening out of her dejected slump. Sookie twisted back and forth to make sure the crisp gray linen dress she wore wasn't crumpled and she fiddled with the cuffs. Only a day and she already was used to the smooth feeling of cool metal against her skin. "Sookie -" his voice gentle as he spoke her name, a sop to her disappointment. "We are here on business and we must adhere to court protocol. You understand, yes?"

"Yes," she whispered and followed him to the elegantly appointed car. The air-conditioning was a relief from the still simmering heat she could feel in the brief walk between hanger and limo. They slid across velvet seats and settled into the lushness - Sookie could feel her disappointment fading away as she explored the interior, opening up cabinets, a small fridge, and peering through the half-drawn privacy screen between her and the driver. Since she sensed his emotions, she knew the driver was not a vampire.

The drive wasn't far, though it was in fits and starts as they traveled the packed main thoroughfare. Sookie excitedly peered out the black-tinted window and was torn between gawking at the humans strolling on the pavement and the flaring lights of the hotels. She was a country bumpkin at heart, so she was especially entranced by the sights of a city so unlike any she'd seen before. The architecture, while ostentatious had a certain flair she admired. She loved bright and glittering things, so enjoying the Strip wasn't out of her wheelhouse.

Eventually they drew up to a circular drive under a portico - the name read "The Sands." It was unassuming, almost staid and somber compared to the MGM, Bellagio, Venetian, or the Mandalay Bay. Sookie hid her thoughts as a uniformed valet opened their door and another grabbed their bags from the trunks. A virtual army of uniformed humans - thralls of the Nevada Court, she assumed - ushered them through several black-tinted glass doors and into a gleaming marble lobby. Instead of stopping by the desk like many of the well-dressed vampires around them, they were escorted towards the elevators. Sookie glanced at the fancy scroll work of the cage with an honest-to-goodness elevator operator awaiting them inside and had to hold in a squeal of appreciation. It reminded her of the black and whites her Gran had loved with sweeping romantic movies and trysts on buildings with majestic views of the New York skyline.

The elevator ride was silent though Sookie vibrated with the need to ask questions about where they were going and why. She assumed they were going up to their rooms, but the numbers flashing by weren't going up, and the doorman hadn't followed with their bags. She hadn't ever stayed in a fancy hotel before, but even Sookie knew there was something irregular about this. They stopped and the door slid open just as Sookie had decided to damn the consequences and get her answers.

"That way, könighlicher Kurier, " the up till now silent operator intoned, pointing towards a closed door opposite the elevator. Sookie stepped across the threshold and advanced down the barren hallway, aware of Josue at her back, waiting until the elevator doors shut before asking, sotto voce, "What did he call me?"

"King's messenger," Josue answered promptly. "King Russell speaks German fluently and many of his courtiers do as well."

Sookie sometimes felt incredibly stupid compared to those surrounding her; she only spoke English and had barely graduated high school, though that was more to her curse than ineptitude. It was hard to concentrate on tests and lectures when you were bombarded by the emotions of everyone surrounding you.

"Oh."

She remained silent as they stepped across the threshold, more due to her own thoughts than any real need for stealth. The room beyond was obviously a basement, though none like she'd seen before; along one massive wall was a built dais with a throne to oversee the room while a series of wide steps, which were apparently seats given the people - and she used this term loosely since they were all obviously vampires going by the blankness she sensed- seated on them. The middle of the room had a large sand-filled square which was obviously the point of the room. Opposite the square and the seating was another door, though Sookie had no idea where it led to.

"What is this?" She whispered lightly to Josue, knowing the right pitch to reach his ears only.

"The Sands," he responded quietly, "for which the hotel is named."

Sookie started to ask more questions, but Josue shook his head once, eyes trained on a vampire walking to the center of the room. She switched her attention to the vampire and looked at him curiously. The male was tall and thin, pale as all vampires tended to be, and dark hair slicked back with some sort of pomade. He was dressed in a brown double-breasted jacket, matching twill pants, and black leather patent shoes.

"My name is Russell Edgington, though most of you know me as king of Nevada." Sookie's attention sharpened at his silky words, ignoring the reaction of the crowd around them. This was the vampire she was sent to meet. "I'm here before you good folks with a special treat I'm just giddy about sharing." He pointed towards the now open door Sookie had noted earlier. "Many of you have seen Quinn the Magnificent on these very sands, holding his own against Weres and Trolls, and once a fae-touched warrior, but now, here, tonight, I will delight you with a whole new diversion!"

A large half-naked olive-skinned man sauntered into the room, his easy loose-hipped stride in time to the low-thrumming beat now reverberating through the basement. Sookie's breath caught and a bright blush stained her cheeks, the heat arrowing down beneath her dress as she turned her eyes away from rippling and oil-slicked muscles and a trim waist. She waved her hand in front of her face. "It's a little hot in here" Sookie announced, her accent sharp with embarrassment. Josue side-eyed her and flicked a fang at her, his version of a smirk. Sookie refrained from sticking her tongue at him, turning back to the king with a slight sniff.

Quinn stood next to Russell, his large bulk overshadowing the king, but Sookie had no doubt the vampire could eviscerate the other male before he could blink. She'd studied up on Russell Edgington and he was considered one of the oldest vampires in existence. No one knew for sure exactly how old he was - and it was as rude to ask a vampire his age as a woman her weight - except his anecdotes and sightings throughout vampire and human history pegged him surviving at least three thousand years. The number frankly overwhelmed Sookie's mind as she couldn't fathom - her word for the day - living that long.

"Now, many of you are wondering who could possibly stand up to the Terror of the Sands, the Tiger from the South - " Edgington's voice had taken on the tone of a boxing announcer, the type Sookie remembered vaguely from her days working at Merlot's Bar during Pay-Per-View night. "The one, the only - Eric the Northman!"

Josue stiffened slightly at the moniker and it took Sookie a moment to understand. Eric the Northman could only refer to the Viking Bill had sent them to retrieve.

"What's going on-" Sookie's words ended with a gasp as Josue's hand clamped down on her arm, hard. "Do not speak, Consort."

The low drumbeat, sensed more than heard, ratcheted up and two large vampires appeared with an even taller vampire hooded and bound between them. They supported his struggling body. His struggling, _naked_ body. Sookie groaned and clapped her free hand over her eyes, though she couldn't unsee the long lean muscles or the fact he was a show-er. "Why do y'all have to be so comfortable with bein' nude?"

"Time has come for Quinn the Magnificent to show whether or not he has the _werewithal_ to withstand the Horror from the Fjord " Sookie dropped her hand and frowned at the laughter scattered through the audience. She didn't get it. At least not until Quinn stretched into a seven hundred pound black-striped orange tiger.

"Oh my stars." Suddenly the vampire's nudity no longer bothered her as she was too mesmerized by the weretiger. She'd once seen a regular one in a traveling circus, except that one was old and mangy and dull. Quinn was truly magnificent with a shiny coat, well-portioned head, and wickedly sharp canines and claws.

"Oh Lord, the Viking has no chance!"

Josue shushed her, his eyes still intent on the spectacle before them. "Have you no faith?"

The king had evidently come to the end of his speech because he ripped the hood off the vampire, letting Sookie see his features for the first time. He was _beautiful_ in a way Sookie never knew males could be and she nearly swooned.

"Is he going to keep Eric bound?"

"It appears so."

"But, but, that's not fair!"

"Things rarely are, Consort. Those who fight on the Sands do not come of their own volition."

Sookie's frown deepened. "What do you mean?" Edgington had stepped closer to the Viking even as his men stepped back. It was times like this that Sookie wished she had supernatural senses to hear what caused Eric to scowl.

"The Sands are meant as punishment for those who trespass against the Authority, royalty, or to pay off debts."

"Do you know Eric's crime?"

Josue's hazel eyes looked into her own blue ones. "Yes."

"Does it affect Louisiana-Arkansas?"

The Steward's expression faltered at the question. "Undetermined at this point."

"You're as useful as a Magic 8 Ball," Sookie muttered, switching her gaze back to the tall blond vampire. She couldn't stop _staring_ at him, though if anyone had asked her in the moment why, she couldn't have answered. Vampires, for the most part, were uniformly attractive which made sense as beauty was the best camouflage for the worst type of predator. She'd never fallen into that trap, however, as Bill's allure was never physical but mental. Her shields against humanity were tattered and nearly nonexistent until the night Bill walked into her workplace and eased the mental trauma. The sexual part came in later, though she discovered it was brought on by a blood bond rather than true appeal.

There was some sort of signal Sookie missed because Edgington and the two goons blurred from the center, leaving Eric to face the pacing tiger. A taunting roar was Quinn's opening salvo before he leaped toward Eric, four and a half inch claws already extended in preparation of shredding muscle and sinew. Somehow the vampire leaped aside, dodging the powerful blows. Quinn didn't stay still as he whirled around with an agility and cunning mind that proclaimed him more man than beast. His hind legs lashed out, glancing Eric's shins and caused him to stumble; the vampire wasn't downed, however, and he danced out of range again.

There was a savage grace in their movements that entranced Sookie, even as her heart clenched each time Eric came close to being shredded by Quinn's massive paws. She bit her lip until it bled as Quinn finally managed to crowd Eric into a corner; there seemed to be some sort of invisible barrier around the sand as neither even attempted to cross it throughout their bout.

Sookie cried out when the weretiger's claws ripped open four lines one way and four lines overlay the other across Eric's chest.

"Why isn't he moving? _Why isn't he moving_?"

Sookie had seen many fights between weres and vampires before, it was par for the course in Bill's court since he used wolves as guards, and rarely were vampires overpowered unless surrounded by a pride or pack. Quinn was massive, true, but Eric was Viking, a man nearly as old as Edgington, so theoretically he should be holding his own.

The blood flew steadily and Sookie screamed when Quinn's paws reached bone - fortunately they were far enough away so she couldn't see his intestines or stomach. Eric's head snapped right as Sookie's scream echoed continuously throughout the enormous room. Josue clamped a hand around her mouth and dragged her to the side, sending an apologetic glance towards the dais and presumably to the king, but Sookie couldn't drag her gaze from the blue eyes suddenly boring into hers. Her body was on fire and her mind plunged into a raging storm; somehow, someway, this was _him_ she was sensing.

It wasn't possible. It _shouldn't_ be possible.

But then vampires didn't exist until five and a half years ago.

Sookie struggled away from Josue, catching him by surprise, and shrieked,"Move your bloomin' ass!," to the injured vampire. Her eyes were too slow to catch the action so she never saw it exactly, but suddenly a fountain of blood erupted as Eric wrenched Quinn's paws from his body and half-tore his shiny coat from his bones.

The were's lifeless body was tossed to the side and Eric grinned at Sookie through a mask of blood. She gulped back vomit as she took in the damage done to him.

"Jag är din krigare," he proclaimed with a wink.


	3. Chapter 3

Sookie sat on the edge of her seat, knees primly closed, and her hands clasped in her lap. It was the school marm pose she practiced with Gran when she first started wearing skirts because, as Gran used to say, "No need to advertise what you're not willing to give away for free." Of course, the collar on her neck and the bracelets on her wrists belied the virginal air about her as it proclaimed her a vampire's property more effectively than a tattoo on the forehead.

"Miss Stackhouse, I do declare." Nevada eyed her across the wide expanse of his oak desk, lounging in his overlarge chair like...well...a king. Sookie didn't take offense to the false southern accent he spoke with because for all she knew he had spent time in the bayou at some point in his long life. Few vampires retained their original accents and the smart ones tended to adapt to wherever they lived. Of course with vampires out of the coffin nowadays, they weren't as circumspect about their pasts, or at least the ones the Authority allowed to be seen by the fascinated public. Sookie had hung about the fringes of her king's court long enough to know that only the personable and least threatening vampires were allowed to be scrutinized and no one, not even the government, had any idea of the vampiric hierarchies in play. The royalty and Authority allowed humans to believe the vampires were under their authority (no pun intended) because it was easier to deceive and retain control that way. Sookie was pretty sure that many of the older vampires had thralls serving in various governmental branches so the whole thing was probably moot anyhow.

"Your Majesty," she retorted, inclining her head at the proper angle. The etiquette of a Consort visiting another Court had been drilled into Sookie's head until she dreamed about it at night. She controlled a twitch when she wanted to crane her neck to look at Josue - not only would that be rude since she would be taking her attention from the king before her, but also he wasn't in the room.

Nevada looked honestly delighted - or as much as a three thousand year old corpse could. "Someone's been teaching you old-fashioned manners!"

Sookie felt a moment's alarm. Had she done something wrong? Had she mistaken Josue's intentions - was she set up to take a massive fall despite his impassioned words?

A moment later her alarm eased when Nevada clapped his hands together like a particularly demented child and exclaimed, "Oh I like you!" He blurred from his seat and stood next to Sookie with a fanged smile. This was another test of her mettle, she knew. It wasn't the first, nor probably the last, time a vampire would try to catch her unaware or attempt to scare her out of her wits. The psychic gifts she'd unknowingly inherited had given her an advantage since she could always track a vampire in a room by the emptiness of - whatever it was she was able to track. It got trickier when she stood in a room full of vampires to keep sight of a specific one, but Sookie had trained herself to be aware of Bill and Josue at all times back home, so she figured eventually with enough practice she could do it everywhere (if she was ever let out of Louisiana again that is).

When she didn't move, blink, or draw in a startled breath, Nevada cocked his head and stared at her. His lips fell down to cover his teeth and she was relieved to note his fangs had drawn back.

"What _are_ you, Sookie Stackhouse?"

While she may not fully understand the reasoning behind the question, Sookie chose to take the most superficial definition. "I am Consort to King William of the Louisiana-Arkansas Court, human, and current Emissary to your court." In this particular exchange, it was unnecessary to state his own titles and court, which relieved her because Russell Edgington had a list longer than her arm and she wasn't sure she remembered them all (or the order they must be named).

"That tells me _who_ you are, but not _what_ , Sookie dear." Nevada's intensity dialed back a little, though his eyes never moved from her face. "William Compton was never more than a jumped up soldier who tried to reach beyond his means and failed - or should have - but suddenly I'm told of a coup over Sophie-Anne, an eleven hundred year-old vampire and one of the most vicious females, dead or alive, I've ever encountered. Can you explain this, hmm?"

Sookie flinched, deep down inside, because her powers were instrumental in Bill's take over of the court. She hated remembering that bloody, bloody night when Bill had pretended (or maybe not, you could never tell with him) to gifted Sookie to the former queen. It was once she was taken into Sophie-Anne's bed that she realized her life in the last few months were nothing but a pack of lies. As she lay helpless and bound beneath Sophie-Anne's ministrations that she learned her cousin Hadley had told the queen of her "specialness" and Bill was sent to Bon Temps to bring her back like a party favor. When the intimate petting grew too intense, bringing up memories of her Great-Uncle Bartlett, Sookie had lashed out psychically, her panic and terror ripping through Sophie-Anne's mind until she'd incapacitated the vampire. What Sookie didn't know was how synced her court was to her and they all fell into unconsciousness with her. Bill had taken the opportunity to behead certain memories of the queen's cadre before ultimately taking her life as well - all the while Sookie lay restrained in the bed, covered in the vampire's blood. To this day she didn't really know if Bill had realized what would happen or if he'd just capitalized upon the unexpected event. It was the death of her "love" for Bill, especially when Sophie-Anne's childer woke up and suddenly had a new king; Sookie was pretty sure Josue suspected it was her who'd actually taken out the court, but it was something he kept to himself. Only Bill and Sookie knew the exact details of Bill's ascension.

"My king may seem unimpressive when stacked against the length and breadth of your illustrious career," she shamelessly flattered, trying to divert his probing, "but even King William has his own tricks and uses." It was true - Bill had sneakily acquired his Court, but had held onto his territory grimly despite incursions of older and greater placed vampires. This was the reason, after all, she was in Nevada's Court - somehow she was supposed to acquire the Northman. Suddenly she realized just how difficult it would be given he was a gladiator on the sands and not a guest as Bill had thought.

Nevada's dark eyes continued to bore into her and Sookie was never so thankful as to her protection against vampiric powers. The king was trying to force her into giving up her - and by extension Bill's - secrets, but even though the pressure on her mind was intense, Sookie was able to shake off the compulsion with barely a flick of concentration. She cursed herself for giving him the option (she knew better than to meet a vampire eye to eye for long periods of time), but there was no hope for it now so she patiently waited until he finally withdrew with stunned amazement on his face.

"You _are_ a wonder, Sookie Stackhouse. Wherever did William find you?"

"Bon Temps," she tartly retorted.

A fang slipped down but he didn't seem inclined to bite so Sookie relaxed her muscles one by one, even as she retained her ramrod straight posture. Nevada returned to his seat and steepled his fingers as he watched her. Since he now knew he couldn't press her further, Sookie didn't bother dropping her own gaze from him.

"So tell me, Consort, why do you grace my Court?"

The ritualistic words eased Sookie even more and she responded in kind. "Louisiana-Arkansas thanks you for your hospitality and would like to present you with gifts..." her words petered out when Nevada sharply rapped his knuckles on his desk.

"None of that - tell me plainly."

Thrown a little by his retreat from protocol, Sookie quickly thought over her options and mentally huffed before deciding to go with the truth, or at least a carefully edited one. "We would like to buy the Northman's time from you, Your Majesty." Bill hadn't planned for this, but Josue had - which lead Sookie to believe he'd suspected the Northman's true reasons for being in Nevada.

"He is magnificent addition to my retinue and a favorite on the Sands."

He said that _now_ , but Sookie suspected he had expected a slightly different outcome with the weretiger. She lifted a blond brow disbelievingly "So you expected him to rend the weretiger nearly in half?"

Dark eyes examined her again with chilling intent. Sookie held herself proudly and readied the untested silvery haze in her mind. She hadn't used it against a vampire yet, but hopefully it would protect her long enough to escape...somehow, since outside this office was miles of loyal vampires and thralls between her and freedom.

A huff of laughter escaped those thin lips. "You truly _are_ a wonder, Sookie Stackhouse. It surprises me William allows you to leave hearth and home without him."

She delicately fingered the collar protecting her vulnerable pulse points. "He is required at home and I do my duty to his Court."

"Ah yes, the Shreveport uprisings. I gather Sophie-Anne's long shadow in play here since she ruled Louisiana since it was under French control and none of her court would be happy a youngling like William to overcome her." Sookie didn't confirm nor deny his allegations, while true, because it truly wasn't his business. She knew the vampire world was quite small in America so everyone was pretty aware of major news like Bill's tenuous control over his court, but she wouldn't add oil to that particular fire.

"His hold on you is exquisite. I must pay him a visit and compliment him on his Consort."

The word were silky with menace, though surprisingly not aimed at Sookie herself, she realized. Nevada rapped his knuckles on his desk again and the door opened this time, allowing a pouting young man to saunter through. He was cinnamon-colored with long black hair spilling over furious green eyes, his lips pulled into a sulky frown. Sookie knew from Joseu's relentless education of current royalty that this was the king's consort, husband, and child all rolled into one beautiful package. Talbot Angelis stood with his hands on his hips and a glare at his king - the words spilling from his mouth at a rapid-fire pace were in an unfamiliar language.

"Darling, you're being rude to our guest. Sookie Stackhouse, meet my one true love."

The former Byzantine prince flicked impatient eyes over Sookie and the sneer sullied his good looks. He might be a seven hundred year old vampire, but Sookie knew disdain for the lower class when she saw it.

"Eric won't do what I say," the vampire complained with an actual stamp of his foot. Sookie looked at him in amazement because he was acting no better than her nephew Hunter when he was in a snit over not getting his way.

Nevada sighed. "I told you to stop playing with him; he's not for you to fuck."

"I'm tired of your jealousy! You said I could have him."

Nevada's jaw tightened as their ugly domestic was revealed before Sookie. She wondered why they switched to English, but let the thought fall aside when Nevada stood, his whipcord lean body intimidating despite his slightness.

"Consort of King William to the Louisiana-Arkansas Court, I will release Eric the Northman to you upon certain conditions."

She stood as well because it was rude to continue sitting. "I will instruct my Steward to bring the riches of our Court to lay before you." She daringly turned to the other with a small smile. "Your consort's beauty is not exaggerated and I fear the pitiful gifts I've brought will dull in comparison."

Both men stared at her effusive words and she barely contained her smirk. Josue was right - this could be fun.

"May I?"

Nevada nodded and Sookie went to the door and opened it, calling out for Josue. The faithful Steward stood near the threshold and he bowed slightly to her before stepping into the room with the two other vampires. In his hand was a small wrapped package, indicating he'd gone to their suite during her audience.

Josue swept Nevada an elaborate bow and inclined his head, though carefully so his neck wasn't bared to the king as it would disrespect the bond Josue held with Sookie, and through her, Bill.

"Oh, I love presents," Nevada giddily said, his long thin fingers reaching for the small box. Sookie brushed a hand across Josue's shoulder and he slipped into his place at her right shoulder, watching with her as the older vampire opened his present.

"Where did you get this?" The question seemed dragged out of the king as he gazed at the tear-drop diamond resting on a small mound of silk. Sookie hadn't chosen it, so she refrained from answering, allowing Josue to speak in her stead.

"Our coffers, while small, are filled with ancient treasures of battles. When I happened upon this, I knew it would make the perfect gift, Your Majesty."

Sookie could tell by Nevada's reaction that this meant something significant to him. The king reverently withdrew the diamond and held it up to the light, letting the beams refract through the pristine unclouded stone. Talbot ruined the hush when he greedily held out his hands, exclaiming, "Oooh, I want." Nevada backhanded his consort without a word, sending the younger vampire careening into the wood paneling across the room. "Now, now, we've discussed your greedy tendencies, my love. This is not for you."

Dark eyes met blue ones and a thin smile etched itself across seemingly youthful features. "Considering what a gift you've brought me, Sookie Stackhouse, I will give you the Northman without compunction. I thought this lost when Sophie-Anne took over her court, but obviously she lied to me about it."

Sookie wanted to know the story behind the stone, but knew enough to bite her tongue in face of the unexpected capitulation. "We are honored."

Nevada chuckled again, his eyes leaving Sookie's to look at Josue. "You've done well with this one, Steward. But then you've always been good at searching for diamonds in the rough."

Josue nodded briefly before his hand touched Sookie's lower back, their agreed upon signal when things needed to end. Sookie kept her goodbyes as simple as her initial hello and the two departed from the room.

When they were far enough away to be out of earshot, she threw a glance at her companion. "What was that about?"

Louisiana-Arkansas' Steward shrugged minutely, the motion only noticeable because of how the material of his suit moved. "We have six hours to retrieve the Northman and depart before anything _untoward_ may happen, Consort. Never underestimate Russell Edgerton - he may come across as civilized and sane, but he didn't make it to his great age without plenty of bloodshed. His madness is strange and easily triggered so we must get out now if we wish to leave at all."

Sookie shivered once at the warning and grimly kept walking. It was what she was best at doing - putting one foot in front of the other and keep on going.


	4. Chapter 4

**Warning: There is sexual content some may consider dubious consent given the circumstances so please read accordingly.**

* * *

Sookie looked down the long featureless hallway from the open door of the lift and turned to Josue with a raised eyebrow. They were the only two occupants since apparently the lift operators were used only for the arena elevators.

"Do you know where to go?"

Josue inclined his head, a small grimace touching his eternally youthful face. "I have had...the pleasure...of the Sands before."

Curiosity pulsed through Sookie though she quickly suppressed it. Once she may have trespassed upon his memories and demanded he explain his entire life to her, but that Sookie was long since beaten to death and the quieter more thoughtful Sookie who remained merely nodded, allowing Josue to decide to fill the silence at his discretion.

"It was before I came to your Court," he began haltingly, his hand touching the small of her back briefly to indicate they were to step forward. "I was young and foolish vampire who believed I could win myself a place in the court of a beautiful queen who convinced me that to win her love, I needed to prove my abilities." There was a touch of self-mockery in his smooth velvet voice that Sookie had never heard before.

"Did you win?"

The self-deprecating smile he shot her over his shoulder answered her silly question. He still stood, didn't he?

They stopped before the only door and Josue knocked three sharp raps. There was no answer so he rapped again with the same results.

"Now what?"

"We wait."

"Didn't you say we had a deadline? What are we waiting for?"

Josue didn't answer so Sookie tried the doorknob and when it easily turned she pushed the door open to see beyond.

Fortunately for her the room was lit. Unfortunately for her, the naked couple were easily seen. The Northman was a lean length wrapped around a smaller petite figure: a fangbanger most likely. A deeply buried part of Sookie faintly protested how the warrior's fangs were in the wrong vein, but she easily disregarded the silent protest, even if she didn't exactly understand it. Why should she care about whom he fed from? He was nothing more than a means to an end.

The Northman raised his blond head from the neck he was buried in and the girl moaned and moved in a suggestive manner that made Sookie turn her eyes away instantly. The viking was feeding and pleasuring his donor; it made sense, really, since he was hurt badly during the fight and could only heal through drinking blood.

"I apologize for my impudence," she murmured, trained through long experience to keep her voice low and movements slow when faced with a feeding vampire. "We will await you outside when you are done." She turned to go but stopped when an unfamiliar voice urged, "Stay."

She stilled, recognizing the faint mocking laughter underlining the demand. In the beginning of Bill's reign, he often liked to feed and fuck in front of Sookie, relishing her emotional responses as he sought to make sure she fully understood her place in his Court and life. It had taken years, but Sookie had finally managed to subsume any reaction to Bill's betrayals until one day she woke to the realization it was no longer pretense and she really _didn't_ care what or who he did.

"As you command," she calmly responded, taking the only chair in the room. It faced the lounging couch holding the vampire and his food, so she was able to see every detail as the smirking blond buried fangs and cock back into his meal, though his eyes never left hers. The blue hue was arresting against his pale skin and his regard burned Sookie as she automatically slowed her breath and heart beat until the blankness of her mind closed around her in an impenetrable shield. The warrior vampire was stronger, faster, and deadlier than Sookie could ever conceive, but she would never let him see her trepidation.

"Go," the accented voice commanded, a hand slapping bare buttocks. The fangbanger slinked off him, her dark hair swirling around her waist as she cast a sloe-eyed glance at him. Since his eyes never left Sookie, only she noticed the alluring pout melt into a displeased frown. _Don't be so obvious_ , she wanted to warn the other woman. It never ended well for those who tried to rise above their prescribed places in vampiric society. Humans were food and fun only, never anything more. The slamming of the door echoed through the nearly empty room.

"So, the famous Sookie Stackhouse graces the Sands. Be still my undead heart."

Despite her training, Sookie started at her name dropping from the strange vampire's lips.

"What?"

Plump lips, flush with stolen blood, curved into a seductive smile that probably had dropped thousands of panties in its time.

"How does she not know her own celebrity status, Josue?"

Sookie felt her eyes narrow at the caressing familiarity of the Steward's name. There was definitely more going on here than she expected. How did Josue know him and vice versa?

"Mr. Northman -"

"Eric, please."

Sookie shallowly inclined her head, the mark of respect for a vampire you didn't know. "As you please. Eric, I am here at the behest of Louisiana-Arkansas with an offer of -"

"Oh I know what William wants." There was a dark undercurrent to his words. "As much as I appreciate his solicitation, I have no desire to return to my old stomping grounds."

Josue stirred, the motion minute as always, but caught Sookie's attention because the steward never did anything without reason. Eric noted the movement as well, though again his eyes never left Sookie's face. It irked her how out of depth she felt when she'd thought she'd finally successfully navigated the pitfalls of her surroundings. Of course she wasn't in her home state or even her own court, the more pragmatic part of her pointed out, soothing ruffled feathers.

"I assure you, Eric, that there are many incentives to working for the king."

A blond brow quirked in mocking amusement. " _The_ king, not _your_ king. You wear the jewelry of a Consort but speak with the mouth of a pet. Most intriguing."

A blurred motion and the viking knelt next to her seated position, though it was in no way a submissive pose. His teeth, she couldn't help noticing, were clean and unbloodied unlike Bill's after a feast-fuck. He leaned forward until his long nose brushed aside the hairs covering her ear and she held still against the caressing gesture. His scenting was an insult she must endure as Bill had commanded she give the blond vampire whatever he desired - she wasn't going to offer herself up for his cock, but she may have to surrender her veins for his pleasure.

"You smell... _divine_ ," Eric slurred quietly in her ear, his voice sounding a little blissed out. Sookie couldn't help the small warmth at the compliment despite herself. She immediately straightened her posture when she realized she was leaning ever so slightly against him. The vampire chuckled, the reverberations felt against her skin and goosebumps rippled down her arms and across her breasts, peaking her nipples into hardened points of interest. A large hand reached up and turned her face towards his and a shockingly light pink tongue lashed her lips, as his eyelids lowered to hide the arctic blue of his gaze from her own. Soon her lips relaxed beneath the lazy petting and he swept in as dominant a force as he must've in his human warrior days. Sookie's moan was lost in the clashing tangle of tongues, lips, and teeth as the rigid restraint that protected her thoughts fell and she sank into a deepening pool of desire.

 _Yes, give in to me. Give me what I need._

The softly whispered words drifted across her mind like leaves across placid water and Sookie took little heed of them as she tilted her head to sooth the slight ache in her neck at the odd angle. She felt a shift deep within herself as if something long buried was breaking through the way a plant does during the timid first days of spring. She reached out with greedy hands to anchor herself and pushed herself off the chair to straddle the cold hard strength trying to coil around her.

 _Let me in. Let me in!_

A sharp nip to her tongue was painfully shocking in the dreamy haze she'd wrapped herself in as was the taste of blood filling her mouth. Sookie snapped back to her reality and realized Eric was beneath her and only his legs shielded her modesty from Josue as her dress was pushed up to her waist and her panties were...somewhere else. Immediately Sookie shoved herself off the supine vampire and righted her dress, skin a dark red. She'd never lost control of herself nor lost cognizance of her surroundings ever before, not even during the heady first days of being Bill's lover. Her first instinct - to snap at him - was suppressed beneath a realization at the feral nature of the vampire at her feet. His pupils had expanded until blue rimmed the deep black and his full set of secondary teeth had elongated to sharp points. Fangbangers and the public saw the polite feeder side of vampires - it was thralls and pets who endured the true nature of the beast. Vampires in full rut like Eric couldn't be controlled, placated, or resisted as they would unleash the full of their strength to destroy what stood in the way between them and their meal. Sookie lowered her eyes so she didn't challenge him and her gaze fell upon his rampant cock which lay against his belly with full turgid need. She was both wary of and flattered by the evidence of what amounted to deep kisses and heavy petting had produced in him. She wanted to smack herself but refrained from moving too fast as she slowly knelt by his side.

"I live to serve," she quietly said, touching the hidden latch on the cuff bracelet to open it, baring her pale skin to Eric's hungry gaze. He grabbed her wrist and lifted it to his mouth, teeth instantly sinking into the veins. Sookie cried out as her back bowed beneath the onslaught of intense pleasure. Her senses whirled as images of foreign lands filled her mind and the rasp of foreign languages deafened her hearing. It was too much and not enough.

 _More, I must have more_.

The burning sensation crawling through her body caused Sookie to strike out, the palm of her hand slapping against Eric's bared chest, and he growled at her as he wrapped the whole of his body around her and rolled until he lay upon her. He released her wrist with a stinging slide of fangs as he ripped her dress in halves, pushing the shell aside to pierce the quivering flesh of her right breast. His wicked, wicked tongue licked over her nipple as he fed, and Sookie undulated against him as she tried to ride the crest of pained desire pushing her further and further into the primal mindset akin to his. Her fingers became claws that tore at his wide shoulders as she demanded he satisfy her at the basest level. Eric pushed forward, his cock gliding between pleasure soaked thighs until he breached the core of her.

 _Mine. Mine. Mine._

The chant was him, her, them. Sookie's empathetic shields fell and Eric's emotions swept over her, cocooning her even as his body surged and receded like the waves worshiping the shore. Her orgasm hit hard and sudden causing a high keening noise to burst from her throat and Eric withdrew his fangs from her breast to pierce his wrist and thrust it at her mouth. She instinctively sucked at the small wound and swallowed his blood even as her body shuddered beneath his. Eric grunted and came, snarling in her ear.

Sookie mewled in complaint when he took his arm away, but willingly curled into his arms as a yawning blackness seduced her into insensate sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Sookie had no concept of time, but knew Josue wouldn't allow the six hour limit he'd set to lapse, so she didn't fuss much when the Steward gently knocked on the door, rousing her and her...companion. The Northman uncoiled from around her and stared at her in bemusement, his fangs still curved over pale pink lips, as she stood and turned away from him.

"Come in," she beckoned, ignoring the blonde vampire at her feet in favor of her Steward opening the door. Josue kept his eyes locked on hers as he gracefully crossed the short space between them, a dress across his outstretched forearms.

"Consort." Sookie kept her expression neutral as she accepted the clothing, ignoring the lack of undergarments. She quickly slipped into the black pleated dress and allowed Josue to zip her up before carefully soothing down any wrinkles. It helped calm her nerves and gave her time to draw her dignity around her.

"Eric, I hope this concludes our bargain?"

"Bargain?"

"King William has purchased the rest of your time from Nevada and wishes you to return to Shreveport."

"And if I refuse?"

A grim smile curved Sookie's lips as she shifted her attention from her hands to Eric's now lounging figure. He was ancient, a warrior, and gifted with vampiric speed and strength that neither she nor Josue could counteract if he chose to fight them.

"You may, but then you'll be known throughout the Kingdoms as an Oathbreaker."

Stillness settled over Eric at her words and he now looked as if carved from marble instead of a being who'd fucked and fed from her just moments earlier.

"I may speak with the mouth of a pet, but I _am_ Consort to King William I of Louisiana-Arkansas Court, whom you blooded after having your contract bought by _my_ king. By all accounts, our bargain was true, and something I believe even the Authority would agree with. "

Vampires were wild feral creatures at heart who only played at the rules of civilization as espoused by humanity, but among their own kind, they sorted themselves in hierarchical patterns based upon age, strength, and gifts. By his age alone, Eric shoud rank higher than Bill, but was lower due to Bill's status as a king by conquest. The Authority, a ruling body made up of the strongest of royals, were the ultimate policing power

in the vampiric world and were brutal in their control of outliers. Whatever crimes Eric committed that led him to the Sands would pale in comparison to being named an "oathbreaker," as that would allow the Authority to strip him of all power, childer, and even take his head if deemed necessary. There was no worse crime in their eyes. And the bargain might not have been signed in triplicate the way a human would, but blood was true currency in vampiric terms.

Incredibly, laughter suffused Eric a moment later, replacing the shock and fury that filled his blue eyes.

" _What_ are you, Sookie Stackhouse?"

Not that again. "I am a woman who is tired and desires to return home with the vampire she was sent to retrieve."

Eric stood, _still naked_ though she tried even harder to ignore that, and reached out to snag her bare wrist. He gently closed the clasp of the cuff bracelet with a quiet _snick_.

"These are no mere baubles to be wasted on someone with little power, Sookie. These indicate whoever gave these to you holds you in the highest esteem." Eric toyed with the bracelet he still held. "What did you _trade_ for that?"

Rage, a feeling she'd stuffed and snuffed for years, rose from the depths of her soul and rushed through her until she was dizzy with the power of it. She'd been made to feel _less than_ nearly her entire life; first by the humans of her hometown and then again by the vampires who filled her new world. There was no expectations of leaving the supernatural for the mundane - the deaths of her family had proven to be the leash Bill needed to hold onto Sookie - but she would not be spat upon by this vampire. Why it was important Eric not ridicule her when nearly every other vampire in her life did, wasn't a conscious thought.

She turned neatly in Eric's grasp and stepped closer until his body touched hers at various points. His nudity was no longer embarrassing or even noticed; he _would_ listen to her and understand.

"You will address me as Consort or Miss Stackhouse as you were never given leave to address me by my Christian name. I may be human, therefore cattle bred for food in your eyes, but I am also the only way you are getting out of this den of iniquity. King Edgington does not seem to harbor any fondness for you, especially since you took his favorite toy away, and I'm told he's a very inventive torturer for those who displease him. Now, I know I will face punishment from King William if I return without you, but that's a risk I'm willing to run. Are you?"

Bill would probably flay her skin from her bones if she returned empty handed and without a good enough excuse, yet Sookie was fully prepared to go on without Eric. The mere thought of him disrespecting her, holding her in less esteem, was anathema to her. He would learn she wasn't someone to dismiss so easily.

"Bill does not deserve you," Eric quietly replied, his blue eyes wide with fascination, if Sookie were delusional enough to pretend he could feel that towards her. "Whatever he did to acquire you, I will return twofold. I promise you this: you will be mine alone someday."

The rage disappeared as suddenly as it came and Sookie nearly sagged in the release. It was tiresome how vampires needed to _own_ someone as if there was no such thing as free will...which, thinking upon it, probably didn't exist since most vampires weren't exactly sired under the best circumstances. She nearly shook her head at her strange thoughts and merely rolled her eyes at Eric before stepping away, deliberately turning her back on him. It was a calculated move since Eric was much stronger and faster than her or Josue, so if he chose to attack, there was nothing they could do to stop it.

"Is everything prepared for our departure?"

"Yes, Consort." Beneath the deferential tones lay something almost...awed. Awe that the puny human had the audacity to stand up to Eric Northman and lived. Sookie din't take a breath at her own daring, just walked out the door as if she had any clue where she was going.

* * *

 **A/N: Whoops! I've had some issues posting as I was doing it on my phone so when I got two reviews telling me that I had posted the wrong chapter to this story, I had to actually log into the computer. This is the correct chapter now.**


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